Alan Wanzenberg - Luxury Home Decor Ideas

When Manhattan's luxury developers want a sure thing, they bring in Alan Wanzenberg. The New York architect's imprimatur is the gold standard for a clientele that appreciates his emphasis on craftsmanship and understated luxe. "I love the intimacy of residential work," he says. "It's so close and personal."

STATE OF MIND

STATE OF MIND

• Luxury can be intangible. It can be a day with nothing to do. It does not require a big budget. If anything, money can be destructive to luxury. I’ve worked for people with 15 Kelly bags in their closets. At some point that becomes a burden. Luxury is a sensibility, one that requires discernment.

• The most luxurious project I ever worked on was Maureen and Marshall Cogan's apartment, which we did in 1993. It was a synthesis of architecture, decorating, and art. That was luxury: a Picasso drawing on a beautifully proportioned wall with a Jean-Michel Frank–inspired sofa.

• In some of the fanciest houses I've done, I've used Noguchi paper lanterns. They look fantastic and cost a couple hundred dollars.

Alan Wanzenberg in his Manhattan office. Photography by Rebecca Greenfield

Modern Times

Modern Times

• The design industry is seeing an enormous shift, mainly because of technology. In the course of an afternoon, you can go online and look up 101 things. But just because the information is available doesn't mean you shouldn't kick the tires. There is no substitute for tactile, direct experience.

• A lot of our younger clients have grown up around design. They've got the technological tools to participate in design more exhaustively than my generation. The market is very sophisticated.

• There is tension between two tendencies in design: the proverbial glass box and the more textured, crafted home. I'm in the latter camp. Jed and I loved working with craftspeople and seeing the hand of the maker.

• The elasticity of a house is critical. I have clients who want to entertain, but they also want a simpler, smaller home where they can be alone with their kids. It's like Alice in Wonderland: Can you shrink it down and can you blow it up? That's where you earn your stripes as an architect.

Warmth and texture in a Wanzenberg-designed living room. Photography by William Abranowicz